Through ATIC’s agreements with government customers, students enrolled in the boot camp are sponsored for a U.S. security clearance, a key hurdle to entering the intelligence community and Department of Defense-related workforce. “Security clearance is granted by the government, and is not guaranteed,” said Chris Quillen, director of operations for ATIC.

Dayton, Ohio-based ATIC first offered a version of the course in 2009. Since then, more than 300 students have graduated from the program. More than 80 percent of those graduates now work in the defense and intelligence industries, including positions at many of the major “three-letter agencies” – FBI, DIA, NGA, NSA – and defense contractors.

Classes will be held at U.Va.’s Northern Virginia Center in Falls Church. The first class begins March 18, with additional class sessions scheduled for summer and fall. The center, located at 7054 Haycock Rd. in Falls Church, will host an information session about the new class Monday at 6:30 p.m.

For more than a decade, U.Va.’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies has offered courses and programs in information technology, cybersecurity and technology leadership, including through partnerships with the FBI and the State Department and for the Naval Air Systems Command, said Billy Cannaday, dean of the school and U.Va. vice provost for academic outreach. “Our partnership with ATIC broadens our portfolio of offerings for the intelligence community.”

ATIC, an independent, not-for-profit corporation, was formed in 2006 by a confederation of Dayton-area government, industry and academic organizations with congressionally directed funding to help solve the increasing shortage of technical intelligence experts with appropriate clearances.

ATIC’s headquarters is in close proximity to the National Air and Space Intelligence Center; the Air Force Research Laboratory; the Air Force Institute of Technology; Wright Patterson Air Force Base and numerous defense contractors.